Snow Fracture and Slab Avalanche Release – A Case Study

Michael Zaiser

Institute for Materials Simulation, WW8
FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Wednesday, 16. October 2013, 17.00
WW8, Room 2.018-2, Dr.-Mack-Str. 77, Fürth

Prof. Dr. Michael Zaiser

Head of the Institute of Materials Simulation

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Snow Slab Avalanches release by failure of a slope-parallel weak layer contained within the snowpack. We use a forensic case study to illustrate how materials science in general, and computational modeling in particular, can help to understand this process. We discuss materials properties, deformation and failure mechanisms, but also consider legal and practical implications of the scientific findings in the context of skiing and winter mountaineering.